HT2050

I have the Benq 2050 and love it. I think it is an amazing projector for the price. However, if I were to buy it now I would spend a little more and get the 2060 because it is LED and you won’t have a fan noise or picture degradation due to an older bulb. Plus you’ll never have the replace the bulb which isn’t fun. Just my two cents. Under $1000 the Benq.

HT2050 is what I got and I love it. That and the W1070 still going strong. You can probably find one on ebay for around that price easily

Benq ht2050, just projecting onto white wall atm

Upscale 4K is a joke. It sucks. Get a good 1080 like the benQ 3050 (1000$) Also being farther away from it makes it almost pointless you can’t tell the difference. If you have 6k to blow then get a true 4K laser projector. I bought one of the most expensive upscale 4K Sony projectors I could find on Amazon(3,500$) compared it to the benQ 3050 and it was an easy easy decision. Also you have to do some digging to find out if it is true 4K and not an upscale. Edit: this is my experience as a layman. May be wrong with some jargon. My point is the difference between a 1k projector and a 3k projector does not scale and you don’t get that much more paying 2k more when a 1k projector is very good

I love my JVC, but on a budget, they are a tough purchase. Replacement lamps can cost as much as the projector is even worth. Also, their older models are super dim. I'd typically get a BenQ W1070 or HT2050 model instead. It will be brighter, and have a nice balance between quality and cost that makes more sense. But, if someone lucks into a RS46 or newer, with low lamp hours, at that price, it may be a good buy if they know the costs of lamps and if it breaks, there is no cheap way to send it in for repair.

I think you end up with a lot of used/refurb models at this price point which can be very good as a first projector. My pricing pretty much stops at $500 as the low point which can get you the JMGO N1S brand new, or the Nexigo Nova Mini. Which are both models that have won on The Hook Up (YouTube) as top shelf portable projectors. If I were spending $400 on something that 'may be okay, but uses a lamp', I think I'd find $100 more to get a projector that is twice as bright as the other new $400 models if at all possible. That said, there are some good lamp projectors that can be had used for that price and they are definitely worth consideration if you intend to install it in a fairly permanent solution with proper projector placement. Models that u/PlayStationPepe in the used/refurb section are far brighter than anything in the 'new' section that he listed. But, the used models are traditional projectors. No built in smart operating system. No built in streaming. Lousy built in speakers (generally speaking). But, relatively bright. Plenty of light for a 150" diagonal if you want to go that big in a dark room. Or, 120" with some ambient light in the room and still a super usable image. Add your own Firestick or PC for streaming Netflix.

Budget? I'm in a similar situation as you with my BenqHT2050 for the last eight years. I'm going to get an Epson LS12000 as soon as budget allows.

I have two Benq projectors, HT2050 inside and TH585 by the pool. In my opinion, you get the most bang for your buck with Benq. That being said, my next upgrade will be the Epson LS12000, but I need to finesse the budget for a few more years. Check out the TK710 and the HT5550. EDIT: BTW, the W2720i is cheaper on the Benq website.

Get a Benq or an Epson. You'll have to accept 1080p for under $1000, but it will still be a great picture. I'm having a hard time upgrading to a $5000 4K projector because my Benq2050 still looks great after nine years.

Projectors last a long time, so spend the money on a good one now. I picked up a $750 1080p Benq, expecting to replace it within three years. It's been eight. I'm now willing to drop $5000 on an Epson LS12000 because I now know it will last me a decade. Silver Ticket screens are solid. Sure the Steward is better, but there's diminishing returns after a certain price. You can always upgrade your screen at a later date, but I doubt you'll feel the need.

It’s just a hair more expensive but I bought a benq 3050 this past year and it’s been great. Handles casual gaming well and movies look fantastic on it